breathe nd

The Legislature has voted to de-fund the Tobacco Control and Prevention agency – also known as “Breathe ND.”

That agency’s tobacco prevention functions will be taken over by the state Health Department. Seven staffers and a temporary employee will lose their jobs – and one position will transfer to the Health Department.

The agency was created by initiated measure in 2008 – and receives its money from the lawsuit settlement states reached by the big tobacco companies.

The Senate already voted to defund “Breathe ND.” And the House has now followed suit.

The Senate has voted to dissolve the Tobacco Control and Prevention agency.

That agency is funded by part of the so-called “master settlement” on a lawsuit states filed against big tobacco companies. Both the Dalrymple budget and the Burgum budget called for the agency’s elimination, and the duties to be transferred to the state Health department.